In what is believed to be a national 'first' we worked, together with our Civil Engineering Business Lumsden & Carroll Construction, with Tyneside Cyrenians, a progressive homelessness charity, to provide exciting, practical work experience and the possibility of full time employment to its service user residents.
A group of 13 homeless men, all of whom have experienced major upheaval in their lives many through substance misuse, were selected to take part in this unique and carefully planned scheme. The project involved construction of a building which provides bedroom accommodation and new office space in the grounds of Tyneside Cyrenians head office in Newcastle upon Tyne.
All of the men involved in the scheme underwent a foundation course in Health & Safety and studied the core units of NVQ in Construction. This, importantly, made them eligible for their Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card, the construction sector 'passport' for site workers. The training was delivered by NECT, tutors from Newcastle College and staff at Lumsden & Carroll Construction.
The scheme attracted support from a wide range of partners and organisations including the Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly the ODPM), Newcastle City Council and Tyne & Wear Partnership through the Community Foundation and universal support at both regional and national level.
